Buggy-top joint.



No. 638,552. Patented Dec. 5, I899. R. n. BURCHARD.

BUGGY TOP JOINT.

(Application filed Sept. 21, 1899.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES IN VENTOH THE "cams wE'rEas-ca. morouma. WASHINGYON, uv c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD D. BURCHARD, OF MACON, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO IVILLIAM WINKLER, OF SAME PLACE.

BUGGY-TOP JOINT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 638,552, dated December 5, 1899.

Application filed September 21,1899. S rial No. 731,218. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that LRICHARD D. BURCHARD, a citizen of the United States, residingat Macon, in the county of Macon and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Buggy-Top Joints, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to joints for buggytops; and its object is to provide an improved construction of the same by which the top may be raised and lowered from the inside of the buggy in an efilcient manner.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a buggy provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same.

In said drawings the numeral 1 designates the front-bowiron, and 2 the bows, which support the top 3, all of said bows being pivoted at 2 in a customary manner.

The numerals 4 and 5 designate the topprop levers, having the usual pivotal joints or rule-joint knuckles 6 7 8, and also pivoted in the ordinary Way to the front bow at 9 and to the seat at 10.

The purpose of my invention is to provide simple and efficient means for opening or breaking the top-prop joints from within the buggy, and to this end my invention comprises two arms or levers 11 and 12, which are pivoted together at 13 and having their ends pivotallyconnected, respectively, to the knuckles 6 and 7 of the top-prop levers at and 5. A chain or cord 14 is connected to the levers 11 and 12 at the pivotal point 13, said chain passing thence upward and through an aperture in the side of buggy-top 3 near its upper surface, where the chain passes overa pulley or roller 14*, journaled in brackets secured to the under surface of one of the bows 2. From this point the chain extends toward the center of the buggy-top and over another pulley or roller 15, alsojournaled in brackets secured to the bow 2. The end of the chain is attached to a handle.

It will be understood that there are two sets of arms or levers 11 12 and two chains, one set for each side of the buggy. The two chains are connected at their inner ends to the same handle 16. 1

When it is desired to let down the top of the buggy, the handle 16 is grasped and pulled until sufficient force is exerted to open the knuckles 6 and 7 by means of the arms 11 and 12, operated by the chain 14. It will be noticed that the arms 11 and 12 exert an outward pressure only at the points 6 and '7, and hence but a little poweris necessary to break the top-prop joints to let down the top.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim is- 1. Abuggy-top joint consisting of arms or levers pivotally connected together in pairs and pivoted at their ends to the knuckles of the topprop, in combination with chains, pulleys, and a handle for operating the arms or levers to open the top-prop joints to let down the buggy-top, substantially as described.

2. A buggy-top joint comprising the topprop levers, arms or levers pivoted together and pivotally connected to the knuckles of said top-prop levers, chains connected to the pivots of said arms or levers, pulleys over which the chains pass, said pulleys beingjournaled to brackets on one of the bows of the buggy-top, and a handle for operating both chains simultaneously to open or break the joints of the top-prop, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD D. BURCHARD.

lVitnesses:

ROY M. LAWSON, H. S. CONRAD. 

